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Sun 5

December 5, 2021 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PST

You’ve Got (Late) Mail: The Postal Service Slowdown

Crossing Party Lines

Location: Online

You’d think it impossible for snail mail to get any slower (what could be slower than a snail?), but that turns out to be wrong. The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced it will be slowing some first-class mail and temporarily increasing prices on all “commercial and retail domestic packages” due to the holiday surge.

USPS has stated that this move is a necessary part of their ten-year plan for reaching financial sustainability. Critics however (including 20 attorneys general) worry about the effects on those in rural areas which rely heavily on these services.

A lot of us view the USPS as a public service, but they actually receive no direct taxpayer funds. With reported losses in the billions, what’s the Post Office to do?

Many of you may be visiting your local post office more frequently in the coming days, so we want to ask:
• How bad are the changes, really? Do you expect to be affected?
• Private delivery services have the freedom to change their prices and delivery times, why can’t the USPS?
• Does more need to be done with how the USPS is structured or funded?

Join the Crossing Party Lines discussion and have a voice in our Nation’s Conversation! People of all views are welcomed, appreciated, and heard.

Looking for more information?
– USPS Slowing Down Some Mail Starting Today (https://youtu.be/oXT_rhkvdxM)
– USPS to Implement New Service Standards for First-Class Mail and Periodicals on 10/1 (https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/09172021-usps-to-implement-new-service-standards-for-first-class-mail-and-periodicals.htm)
– USPS Implements New Business Plan of Higher Prices and Worse Service (https://reason.com/2021/10/01/usps-implements-new-business-plan-of-higher-prices-and-worse-service/)
– 20 attorneys general file a complaint to block the Postal Service’s strategic plan (https://www.npr.org/2021/10/07/1044205288/states-complaints-postal-service-cutbacks)
– U.S. Postal Service Primer: Answers to Key Questions about Reform Issues (https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-479sp-highlights.pdf)
– Delivering for America, The USPS 10-Year Plan At A Glance (https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/usps-delivering-for-america-plan-at-a-glance.pdf)

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don’t miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:
• Instagram @crossingpartylines (Instagram.com/crossingpartylines)
• Twitter @crosspartylines (Twitter.com/CrossPartyLines)
• Facebook @crossingpartylines (Facebook.com/crossingpartylines)

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